MADURAI: Posters, banners, and party flags lined up on both sides of the road from Madurai city to Parapatti, located on the Madurai-Thoothukudi NH, where the second state-level conference of Vijay’s TVK will be held on Thursday. Several youngsters, especially women, visited the venue on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of the preparations.
Shruthi (name changed), whose first-year classes begin on Thursday, said she did not want to miss her first day in college and had come to the venue out of sheer excitement. In fact, Vijay had advised pregnant women, women with infants, elderly, and students to not come to the venue and to watch the proceedings on TV.
The boundary wall of the venue features pictures of Keezhadi and Meenakshi temple prominently. At the entrance, giant sized cut-outs of Vijay, AIADMK supremo MGR and DMK founder CN Annadurai are placed. Though Vijay has come under criticism on social media for using MGR and Anna, this resonates with his words, “the victories in 1967 and 1977 polls will once again be witnessed in this soil in 2026”.
With nearly 1.5 lakh people expected to attend the conference, elaborate arrangements have been made. Fifty LED screens, a mini RO water plant, drinking water dispensers and mobile toilets have been arranged. Medical facilities are also available for immediate assistance.
A 12-ft high ramp has been set up from which Vijay is expected to address the cadre. Vendors selling party shawls, flags, hand-fans and pocket-sized Vijay photos are making brisk business. Four of five contractors who were supposed to supply chairs for the event backed down at the last moment, leading the party to get the chairs from Kerala.
In an unfortunate event, a 100-foot flagpole crashed on a parked car and broke when cadre were trying to erect it. However, no one was injured in the incident. Party sources said a small flagpole will be erected.